After reading some of the posts to some of the treads I and others have posted here I am now convinced this industry should WAKE UP!
1. Why use a meter, when a pig-tail will do fine.
2. No need for a draft gauge, cigar smoke works well
3. No need for a thermometer, fell the lines with your hand
4. screwdrivers as pry bars
5. no need for gauges, just run a line from refrigerant tank to unit
6. Ribbons taped to diffusers, excellent to check CFM's
and what the hell, put pennies and pieces of copper pipe in place of fuses
And of course the hell with the customer, they just need it working. No need to explain anything, just bill them.
Yea right
RAM Teaching Tomorrows Technicians Today.
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I have been told plenty of times that I am not a real trades person. From plumbers and electricians, millrights, to name a few. I did have a electrician call for a no heat and I have had a retired plumber call for a no heat. I had a millright say I should have got my gas ticket. I just look at them and smile.
Peter
thats funny ptemko.. i always heard it was real hard to be a plumber.
hot on the left, cold on the right, and chhhit always rolls downhill
Up here, you can serve an apprenticeship and get a journeyman ticket in most trades.
But we have four designated trades which means you have to have a ticket in order to work.
Electrician, sheet metal, A/C, and plumber/gasfitter. No such thing as an hvac ticket.
The only permit that homemoaners can get is an electrical permit to work on their own house.
And our inspectors have tickets.
I love my job, but paydays Thursday
I would think we all agree we need multimeters, gauges, and thermometers. But when a new company comes out with a meter that makes me input the important info to diagnose a problem. Then I have a problem. I didn't go to school for hvac so some guy off the street can just take my job cause a meter walks him through the steps of diagnosing a piece of equipment. I dont fight technology. I embrace it but to some degree. You have to draw the line at some point. Besides don't you think a homeowner would be impressed if you could fix his furnace with your cigar,shoelace, a piece of gum and your jumper wire and maybe a shiny penny just for the shine.
1. Why use a meter, when fingers work fine and also curls hair nicely especially stinger leg on 3 phase to ground.
2. No need for a draft gauge, smoldering armaflex insulation works also.
3. No need for a thermometer, tell the apprentice to grab a hold of it his reaction time indicates temp.
4. Screwdrivers as punches, chisels and door jimmies.
5. Gauges are for shotguns sizes.
6. Panties taped to diffusers, small thong moving means there is some air flow, 4x bloomers fully inflated means lots of air flow excellent to check CFM's
and what the hell, box knock outs and bolts (cheaper than copper) in place of fuses.
7. Leave all of your garbage on the roof, attic, crawl space or basement.
Warning; The use of these methods will insure that us professionals will be will be labeled as hackers, butchers, Rubes, cobbers, etc.
You are right this industry needs to wake up. I am very fortunate that the company I work for cares about its techs first and the customer second. Our well being and safety are #1 with my boss (owner). A job is never left unsafe our license and reputation are at stake. Have a happy and safe new year.
WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE,
ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE
Keep the fire inside the fireplace.
You also need to remember that all of those things used by "professionals" will help the real techs when we respond to their call backs
B-
Again you miss the boat. Also I doubt any schmoe off tyhe street knows what "Superheat and Subcooling" are. Also I find amazing is how many "Pros" lack this knowledge. Don't ask "Copeland" for any help as the first thing they will ask is whatare the specifics ie "Superheat, Subcooling, Suction Line Temperature, Liquid Line Temperature,Low and High Side Pressures, Amperage Draw, Voltage just to name a few.
Oh yes, don't forget Andy Schoen's guide to troubleshooting. Even "Fluke" has a troubleshooting guide showing where this information is obtained on a system.
Sorry to ramble on, but when I run classes for so called "Journeyman" and they are totally confused need I say more.
RAM Teaching Tomorrows Technicians Today.
Not me............I'm a HVAC guy, I get paid on Wednesday.
You're right though, somma them plumbers are hacks.............
worked with one that refused to use anything on refrigerant linesets, driers or txv's other than 50/50 and a sh*tload of paste flux.............
now, that is a total hack move.
Worst part is, the boss thinks he's the best guy he's got..........chased off all the real techs, cause they take to much time doing things right while plumber boy is out there ripping people off and blowing out twice the number of calls..............that's the real problem.
Last edited by bustawrench1; 01-02-2008 at 05:55 AM.
If you look at that meter we were talking about in the other thread it calculates subcooling and superheat for you by inputting the correct info. Same deal for those electronic refer gauges. They make it so any idiot can obtain the info. I agree alot of guys that I work with mostly installers do not even know how to correctly read superheat. Most of them charge by feel or pressures on the gauges. Is it the correct way of doing things? NO! Would I do it? NO! But to be honest with you most of these guys that do it don't have issues with what they are doing. Its interesting how many classes I have been to that end up being refreshers for superheat and subcooling. So I know what you are saying cause I been there. You want to teach more than just the basics. You know get a little more indepth on the product but you end up teaching basic refrigeration.
ENTHALPY: the total thermodynamic heat content of a system I had to look that one up.....sorry JR